Honestly the best part about this was the fact that it was uneventful.
All packing was done, so the only thing left was sitting in a metal tube for six hours, most of which went by in that strange twilight state between wakefulness and closing my eyes for, “just a moment” and twenty minutes has passed. There was also a movie and if my photo album is to be believed a surprising amount of Bejeweled.
I find it interesting that once I’m on the plane I am in the moment and there’s not really a lot of anxiety. I am committed at that point and the only thing to do is be polite, try to rest, enjoy the food, and enjoy your company. I did partake of the complimentary Carlsberg on Aer Lingus and had a satisfying but overall forgettable meal.
I open my eyes after one of the long blinks.
This is really happening.
We left the United States at five in the evening. Due to the time zone shift and travel, we arrive in Dublin at five in the morning. We packed only carry on luggage so we are off the plane and in the terminal, skipped baggage claim and headed straight for the exit of the terminal, where I very quickly learn something about Ireland, specifically, its latitude.
Ireland in late June can get up to 17 hours of daylight. On that day in Dublin, there was a total of 16 hours and 57 minutes of daylight, which started promptly at 4:59 AM.
I am not ready for it to be this bright.
We hail a taxi, and arrive at our hotel in the Dublin Castle district, where we my partner has arranged for early check-in. The blackout curtains are mercifully effective and we take a nap.
Apparently aparthotel is a word and I'm not sponsored but I had a great experience with StayCity, who again, did not pay me to say that.